Are you getting started as a translator and curious to know what kind of salary you can expect? Read on to see how your salary can be influenced by several things, including your job industry, language of specialization and location.
Salary Overview
Several factors may affect your potential entry-level salary as a translator, including demand for the languages you can translate, place of employment, education and location. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in May 2021, the average salary for interpreters and translators was $58,400 a year, although entry-level translators may be paid somewhat less (www.bls.gov). In January 2022, PayScale.com reported that interpreters and translators with less than one year of experience earned between $10,000-$69,000.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutTranslators">Important Facts About Translators</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Required Education </td><td> Bachelor's Degree</td></tr>
<tr><td>Work Environment </td><td> Office Setting</td></tr>
<tr><td>Key Skills </td><td> Reading and Writing, Interpersonal Communication, Attention to Detail</td></tr>
<tr><td>Similar Occupations </td><td> Interpreter, Foreign Language Teacher, Court Reporter</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---SalaryByIndustry">Salary by Industry</h3><p>Where you choose to work will also likely influence your entry-level salary. Popular areas of employment might include medical translating, court translating, translating in education and literary translating. According to the BLS, some of the highest salaries in 2019 were paid to translators and interpreters employed in the professional, technical and scientific industry, with a median annual salary of $60,330. In contrast, those employed by museum and other similar institutions had an average annual wage of only $28,280. Your salary will likely be below these figures when you are first starting out.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLanguage">Salary by Language</h3><p>The languages in which you specialize can affect your job prospects and potential salary as well . The BLS reported that demand for translators of French, Portuguese, German, Russian and Spanish was expected to remain strong during the 2021-2031 decade. Growth for interpreters and translators overall was expected to be at a very fast rate of 20% over that same period.
</p><p>In June 2018, <i>PayScale.com</i> reported that German translators made $60,000 annually. Those specialized in French made $58,500 in January 2022, while those specialized in Japanese made $47,889 in March 2022.
</p><h3 id="section---SalaryByLocation">Salary by Location</h3><p>The BLS highlighted that larger cities and urban locations such as California or Texas were more likely to have employment opportunities for translators over the 2021-2031 decade. In addition, the BLS reported in May 2021 that the highest interpreter and translator employment level was found in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and North Carolina. Workers in these states averaged $51,230-$73,490 annually.
</p><p>According to the BLS, the highest-paying states for this occupation in May 2021 included the District of Columbia, New York, Virginia, California, and Connecticut. Average salaries ranged between $72,920 and $97,510. The lowest-paying locations included Nevada, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, West Virginia, Idaho, Mississippi and Tennessee with annual wages averaging $30,070 and $45,520.
</p><h3 id="section---EducationAndCertification">Education and Certification</h3><p>You will have several education and training options available to you if you decide to pursue translating as a career. While not necessarily required, you might be offered a higher starting salary if you hold a master's degree in the language you wish to translate. A master's degree and a year's worth of professional experience will also qualify you to sit for the American Translators Association (ATA) professional certification examination (<i>www.atanet.org</i>).</p>
